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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28007070">Ray of Hope</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HouseofSannae/pseuds/HouseofSannae'>HouseofSannae</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy X-2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Missing Scene</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:09:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,317</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28007070</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HouseofSannae/pseuds/HouseofSannae</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In Macalania Woods, Rikku explains to Paine why Yuna needs a moment alone</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Paine &amp; Rikku (Final Fantasy X &amp; X-2), Tidus/Yuna (Final Fantasy X &amp; X-2)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Ray of Hope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            The woods were quiet without the Guado</p>
<p>            In a way, it was nice that this particular corner of Spira had so little falling apart, Rikku mused. Sure, there was O'aka's business woes, but that wasn't really something the Gullwings could help him with. Rikku had for a second the mental image of Yuna claiming that O'aka's was her favourite shop in Spira, its location by the fiend-inhabited Macalania Woods notwithstanding, and stifled a giggle. </p>
<p>            It wouldn't be right to laugh. Not in this place. </p>
<p>            Not when Yuna was looking like that. </p>
<p>            As they'd entered, Rikku had purposefully looked away, diverting her eyes from her cousin. Paine had also paid Yuna no mind, but that was likely more because if the beauty of the spring more than anything else. </p>
<p>            "Hey guys?" Yuna said, all of a sudden. "Mind giving me a moment alone?"</p>
<p>            "Why?" Paine asked, curious. Rikku understood the problem immediately. Paine has been a part of their lives for so long, Rikku has forgotten that she hadn’t been there, back then.</p>
<p>            She didn’t understand why this spring was so precious to Yuna. She didn’t know what had happened here, who Yuna had last been there with.</p>
<p>            Rikku nodded. "Mm-hmm, got it. Come on, Paine!" She grabbed the other woman's arm and gently tugged her back away. </p>
<p>            "Uh...sure," Paine said, totally lost. She let Rikku lead her away, and waited until Yuna was around a bend and out of earshot to start asking questions. </p>
<p>            "Is there something special about this place? We've been here before, looking for that musician… thing." Paine frowned, not that that was an unusual expression for her. "She didn't seem to have a problem then."</p>
<p>            Rikku bit her lip. "No, she probably did, but just didn't say anything."</p>
<p>            Paine blinked. "Is it something to do with your Pilgrimage?"</p>
<p>            "...yeah," Rikku admitted. "We had just escaped from the Via Purifico in Bevelle, and we stopped here to rest."</p>
<p>            Paine's frown seemed to deepen. "So this has something to do with… that guy. The one you two thought Shuyin looked like. The one who you lost defeating Sin."</p>
<p>            Rikku nodded. "I see," Paine said. There was a curiously neutral tone in her voice, that Rikku found odd. It wasn't that Paine wasn't deadpan on a regular basis, but there was a stiffness there that Riku didn't like. "And this spring is special to them?"</p>
<p>            "I'm pretty sure they had sex here," Rikku said. </p>
<p>            Paine stiffened. If she had been drinking something, Rikku thought, she might have choked on it in surprise. "I...see," she said, terse. "It's kind of rude to gossip about other people's sex lives, Rikku. Especially your cousin's."</p>
<p>            Rikku shrugged. "Well, I mean, two teenagers, fluttering feelings, a nice, secluded spot away from prying eyes, the knowledge that the world is ending and the only way to stop it is for one of you to die… What would you expect? Them to go for a swim and do a little dance underwater?"</p>
<p>            Paine's lip tightened, but she didn't seem to acknowledge it. More to herself than to Rikku, she said, "She really… loved that guy, huh?"</p>
<p>            "Yeah…" Rikku said, now frowning herself. There was something weird going on here with her friend, and she couldn't put her finger on it. "You all right, Paine? Is something bothering you?"</p>
<p>            Paine turned away from her. "It's not important. Not compared to this." She waved a hand in Yuna's general direction, then crossed her arms. </p>
<p>            "<em>Pimmcred</em> it's not important," Rikku said, walking around Paine to catch her eye. "Come <em>on</em>, Paine. I'm your friend. Don't make me do the prying thing again."</p>
<p>            "Not like you're all that good at the prying to begin with," Paine muttered. </p>
<p>            "<em>Paine</em>," Rikku siad, quietly. Her normal bouncy self didn't get results, so it was time to try a more serious track. Maybe Paine would appreciate it. "Please talk to me. You look like you're in pain. And you're my friend. I want to help you if I can." She gently placed a hand on Paine's, where it rested against her upper arm. </p>
<p>            Paine looked at the hand, then back to Rikku, and sighed. "...Have you ever had a crush on someone… you knew was never going to love you back?"</p>
<p>            Rikku nodded. "Yeah, a couple of times, but what does that have to do with OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH." Her eyes widened in sudden comprehension. "You mean, you have a crush-" </p>
<p>            "Rikku, don't you <em>dare</em>-"</p>
<p>            "On <em>Yunie?!</em>" Rikku gasped, before Paine could stop her. </p>
<p>            "<em>Crid ib!</em>" Paine hissed, looking back towards the spring with fear in her eyes. Rikku obligingly stopped talking, waiting for Paine to speak. </p>
<p>            Paine sighed. "Yeah. I had…" she glanced back at the spring again. "<em>Have</em>, a… crush… on… on Yuna. But she's still in love with your Guardian dream-boy, and I haven't seen a damn thing that would indicate she even likes women, let alone <em>me</em>."</p>
<p>            "I'm so sorry," Rikku said, at a quieter volume than normal. </p>
<p>            Paine shook her head. "I'll get over it. I'm a big girl."</p>
<p>            "It still sucks," Rikku argued. "I've been there before. Can't I at least be sympathetic?"</p>
<p>            Paine sighed, but freed the arm Rikku didn't have a hand on, and patted Rikku's hand.</p>
<p>            "Thanks, Rikku." To Rikku's delight, she smiled, just a little bit. "It's just… first crush, right? It's hard. Hard to live with, hard to let go."</p>
<p>            "Wow, <em>first</em> crush?" Rikku said, shocked. "That's <em>extra</em> tough."</p>
<p>            Paine nodded. "It's fine. At least now I know why I never found men interesting."</p>
<p>            "I can't exactly relate to not finding men interesting," Rikku admitted, "but if you ever need someone to talk to about it…" She trailed off. Paine had an amused look on her face. </p>
<p>            "Me? Confide in someone? Does that sound like me?" she drawled. </p>
<p>            "Guess what you're doing right now, meanie," Rikku retorted, sticking her tongue out. "I'm already being a supportive friend and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"</p>
<p>            Paine chuckled at that. "Guess I can't."</p>
<p>            "It feels good, getting it off your chest, right?" Rikku asked. </p>
<p>            "I suppose it does," Paine admitted. "But, as your friend, it would be remiss of me not to give you the same opportunity."</p>
<p>            Rikku frowned. "What do you mean?"</p>
<p>            A devilish glint entered Paine's eye. "Well, I'm curious. Who have <em>you</em> had a crush on that you had to let go of?"</p>
<p>            Rikku froze. "H-hey, that's all in the past now, there's no need to go digging up anything like -"</p>
<p>            "So, from your phrasing, it's sounding like Gippal?" Paine asked, smirking. "You never <em>did</em> tell us what the deal was there."</p>
<p>            "Nope! Nope! Nope! Questions closed! Not answering! <em>Huha uv ouin picehacc!</em>" Rikku placed her hands over her ears and marched away. </p>
<p>            "What are you two doing?"</p>
<p>            Both of them looked up to see that Yuna, done with her reminiscing, had joined them. </p>
<p>            "Yunie!" Rikku said, letting her ears go. "You okay?"</p>
<p>            Yuna shrugged. "I'm fine. Just… saying goodbye. If the Woods are going away, this might be the last time I can visit."</p>
<p>            "If you ever want to talk about it," Paine offered, "you have both of us."</p>
<p>            "That's right!" Rikku agreed, though she shot a sidelong glance at Paine. The other woman betrayed nothing that would hint at her feelings towards Yuna. </p>
<p>            Yuna smiled. "Thank you, but, I'll be okay. There's just… a lot of memories here. And, well…"</p>
<p>            "'Memories are nice,'" Paine recited, "'but that's all they are.'"</p>
<p>            Yuna nodded. "That said… I don't think I'm ready to call this just a memory. Not yet."</p>
<p>            Rikku stole another glance at Paine. Paine was nodding, as if she'd expected nothing less. It was a little sad, but Paine had made her decision. And Rikku would support her in whatever way she could. </p>
<p>            Yuna took a deep breath, and smiled. "Well, ladies, Spira needs us. Shall we get going?"</p>
<p>            Rikku nodded. "Gullwings, let’s move out!"</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, everyone! No, I'm not back yet, and this isn't one of the fics I said I wanted to work on between KH fics (4 of 11 chapters of the first intentional multichapter done, for the curious). So what is this?<br/>I wrote this back in... must have been late July or early August, as I was finishing up Final Fantasy X-2. I had an idea and needed to get it down while it was fresh. I had intended to put it up on Christmas, but earlier this week I got punched in the gut by an idea that's <em>actually</em> Christmas-themed, so you'll be seeing that instead (it's already done, don't worry). So... happy Chanukkah, I guess?<br/>I had originally flirted with the idea of putting Rikku and Paine together in KHΨ, but after I played FFX-2, it felt a lot more likely to me that Paine has/had an unrequited and unnoticed crush on Yuna. And I wondered if Rikku would up explaining to Paine why Yuna wanted a moment alone at the lake in Macalania Woods after the story there completes. I think you can tell how that wondering turned out. "Ray of Hope" is the name of the Garment Grid you get after the scene concludes.<br/>I think that's about everything. The actual "I'm back" fic will be going up once I'm done the multichapter I'm currently working on, which ideally will be sooner rather than later. And I'll see you all again on the 25th for something Kingdom Hearts related, since it's occurred to me that I've never written a Rokushi fic outside of KHΨ, and that felt like something I had to fix.<br/>Until then!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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